Canned Wine Has Vino Lovers Popping Tabs, Not Corks
PASO ROBLES (CBS SF) -- Wine lovers are popping tabs just like beer drinkers -- no cork screws necessary.
Canned wine is catching on. Oenophiles say cans are practical and in some ways, even better than traditional bottles.
Andrew Jones of Field Recordings winery in Paso Robles was one of the first winemakers to make the switch.
Jones started putting wine in cans in 2013. Back then, it made up five percent of his business. Today, canned wine accounts for 40 percent.
So, why put wine in a can? "It's real simple – simplicity," says Jones. "Wine doesn't have to be so ceremonial."
Canned wine currently makes up less than one percent of the market, but the growth has been explosive.
Sales more than doubled over the last year from $6.4 million to $14.5 million.
Sommelier Whitney Adams says wine in a can is portable, affordable, single serving, and a hit with millennials.
"I definitely think that's where things are headed," says Adams. "I think more and more, every month or two, a new wine comes out in a can. It's here to stay for sure."
Single cans retail for as low as five dollars. At Field Recordings, it's about 8 bucks. Four-packs and six-packs are also available.
"You don't have to buy it that day and drink it that night and canned wine actually ages better than bottles because there's no light hitting the product so it keeps the product super fresh," says Jones.
So, whether you want Pinot Noir, something bubbly, or anything in between, there's a variety that comes in a can to satisfy the palette of every wine lover.